Stereoscope.



No. 670,752. Patented Mar. 26, 19m;

.1. s. WY ATT. STEREOSGOPE.

V (Applicltion filed June 9 1699.) (No Model.)

3 Sheets Shaol l.

WITNESSES: lNVENTORz 4% z- 1354,,

By his Aftomeys,

Patented Mar. 26, [90L J. S. WYATT.

STEREOSCOPE.

(Application filed June 9, 1899.)

3 Sheets8hee! 3.

(No Model.)

FIG, 5.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. \VYATT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD &

UNDERWOOD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STEREOSCOPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,752, dated March26, 1901.

Application filed June 9, 1899. Serial No. 719,906. No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN S. WYATT, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStereoscopes and other Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to stereoscopes and similar instruments andapparatus, and aims to provide certain improvements especiallyapplicable to apparatus for the exhibition of pictures or for likepurposes.

It has been common in stereoscopes to ad- I5 just the picture toward andfrom the lenses for focusing, and in certain picture-exhibitionapparatus it has been the practice to successively present difierentpictures in front of the lenses by means of intermittently-actzo ingmechanism. The hand-stereoscopes have been tedious of use because of thenecessity for manually substituting succeeding pictures for thoseexamined, and most successive-exhibition apparatus is too expensive andcumbersome to be suitable as a substitute for the stereoscope, as wellas being difficult to focus and in operation leaving a period betweenthe shifting of successive pictures into position in which the shiftingmovement has been disagreeably noticeable to the user.

My invention aims to provide astereoscopic picture-exhibition apparatusin which a series of pictures can be successively displayed either atpredetermined intervals or at will,

3 5 in which the user can readily focus the instrument, in which theshifting of the pictures shall be sufficiently rapid to make theirmovement unnoticeable, in which each picture shall be in the properposition relatively to the lenses from the time it becomes visible,

in which any picture of a series can be selected and readily exposed,and which can be manipulated by the user without withdrawing his eyesfrom the lenses and without par- 5 ticular care or attention.

The invention also aims to provide a stereoscope of improvedconstruction which shall be cheap, light, compact, and convenient inconstruction and form and which is suited to the successive display ofthe various pictures going to make up what is known as a trip orcollection of stereoscopic photographs.

To these ends in carrying out the preferred form of my present inventionI provide an improved construction of picture-holder, improved shiftingmechanism, improved means for holding the lenses and for focusing,aselector, and certain other features of improvement, all of which willbe more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, which show the preferred form ofmyinvention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved stereoscope,the wall being partly broken out to show the interior. Fig. 2 is anenlarged fragmentary perspective view of the pictureholder and trip.Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the picture-fastener. Fig. 4is an enlarged sectional side view showing the interior of theapparatus, partly out on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryvertical section of Fig. 4, cut approximately on the line 5 5and lookingin the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is an inner face view of the trip,and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the trip in plan.

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate the casing, 13 the hood, 0 thelenses, D the pictures, E the picture-holders, F the picture-carrier,and G the operating mechanism, for my improved stereoscope.

The casing A preferably consists of an inclosing box or cabinet having abase a, vertical front, rear, and side walls I), an inclined front wall0, an inclined top wall d, and a hinged cover or door 6, having atranslucent glass window f. i

The hood B is the usual hood for the lenses of a stereoscope surroundingthese lenses and having a suitable contour at its edge to fit againstthe face of the user and constitute a dark chamber in front of thelenses, for which purpose the interior of the hood is blackened. Thehood is constructed with the usual lens-fra1ne g, on which the hoodproper is socured and in apertures through which the lenses are mounted.

The picture-holders are provided in suflicient number to correspond tothe maximum number of pictures which the installation is to exhibit.Each holder is adapted to hold its picture in position opposite thelenses and to shift it out of the line of vision when the succeedingpicture is to be seen.

The carrier supports and moves the pictureholders to bring themsuccessively into the line of sight, and the operating mechanism movesthe carrier. The carrier is preferably an endlessintermittently-traveling member, as a revolving wheel or drum, and theholders are preferably pivoted to it near its periphery.

The operating mechanism preferably feeds the carrier manually andintermittently to expose successive pictures when desired, so that theuser can determine at will the duration of exposure of each view.

Having thus generally disclosed the nature and operation of the improveddevice, I will now describe in detail the features of construction andoperation of the preferred form of my invention in the embodimentthereof illustrated in the drawings.

For focusing I provide for relative adj ustment between the lenses andpictures, preferably accomplishing this by making the lensholder movabletoward and from the pictures, as by mounting it on the shaft or slide H,which crosses the front of the casing and has arms h, movable throughslideways 'i at opposite sides of the pictures and clamped in positionby a clamp J at one side of the machine, so that the lenses can be setand locked at any point. In order to permit a very short focus andobtain compactness, I provide an improved septum Z for the lenses and animproved connection between the lenses and the casing. The septumpreferably consists of a stationary cross piece or bar fixed on theinner side of the wall 0 and crossing the lensholej through this wallmidway between the two lenses 0, which bar is preferably painted blackand is of sufficient width to constitute a suitable septum at anyadjustment of the lenses relatively to the pictures. By thus making theseptum stationary it will be seen that the lenses may be moved veryclose to the pictures without (this close adjustment causing the septumto in any manner interfere with the movement of the pictures, and therelation of the septum to the pictures is always the same, no matterwhat is the adjustment of the lens-frame. I

The connection between the lens-frame and the casing preferably consistsof a bellows 'i, fastened at its inner end to the wall 0 and at itsouter end to the lens-frame g and adapted to expand and collapse withthe adjustments of this frame, so that in all positions of the lensesthe bellows constitutes a dark chamber at the inner side thereof. Forcompactness the hole j through the wall 0 is made large enough toreceive the bellows and preferably also the lens-frame and the inner endof the hood, and the inner end of the bellows is fastened against theinner face of the wall 0 by a frame or strap it, so that the lens-framemay be pushed in the lens-hole until the bellows is completely collapsedand the lenses are flush with the inner wall of the casing. To permitthis, the shaft H is connected to the hood at a sufficient distanceoutwardly of the inner end of the hood, as shown in Fig. 4:, the hoodbeing shown as completely encircling the lens-frame at bottom to afforda surface for engaging the cross-piece of the shaft, as well as to fitthe nose and cheeks of the user.

The hood and bellows constitute dark chambers at opposite sides of thelenses, and the light is thrown on the pictures through the window fabove, so that the user may readily select any focus without changingthe relation of the source of light to the picture and withoutmaterially affecting the double dark chambers or the relation of theseptum to the picture, thus giving a great scope for adjustability,while heightening the illusion of reality.

To avoid the disagreeable impression caused by'the visible disappearanceof one picture prior to the exhibition of another, my invention providesmeans for instantaneously shifting a picture out of the line of sight orfor so rapidly doing this that its movement will not be disagreeablyconspicuous to the observer. Any suitable means may be utilized for thispurpose; butI prefer to hold the picture while being viewed undertension positively againsta detent,trip, or stop, so that the instantthe picture is released the tension will at once remove it from view. Iprefer to use a stop or projection K on the case and a finger orprojection L on each picture-holder E for this purpose and a coiledspring m for throwing the picture out of position as soon as the stopand finger are disengaged, to permit which the picture-holder is movablyand preferably rot-atively mounted on the picture-carrier F. The stop Kis located at a suitable point relatively to the projection L to holdthe picture carried by the holder E, to which such projection is fixedexactly in position for exhibition, and the springm presses theprojection of the holder firmly against the stop, so that, the stopbeing rigid and the projection being fixed relatively to the holder, thepicture is held absolutely stationary and immovable during all the timethat it is exposed to view. The holder is shown as swiveled on ahorizontal axis or shaft 02, mounted in a hole 0, so

- that the holder is free to swing forward around this axis under thetension of the spring 172 as soon as the holder is released by the stop.The plurality of holders when mounted on the carrier in this manner insuch proximity as shown are sufficiently close together for permittingone end of the spring m of one holder to be hooked over the shaft n ofthe next holder, so that one end of each spring reacts against anadjacent shaft, while the other end of the spring reacts against thepicture-bar p of the holder to which the spring pertains.

Each holder is shown as of improved construction, consisting of endsocket-pieces qfor receiving a picture, an intermediate picture-bar p,projecting radially back of the picture, and a latch r for catching overthe top edge of the picture. The latch is movable, as by being hinged ona pin 3, so that it can be swung downwardly to lock a picture in theholder or upwardly to release it. Its edge is cut away at t to preventcutting of the edge of the picture when the latch is moved to the closedposition. It will be seen that this construction of holder is extremelylight, simple, and compact, thus reducing the inertia to be overcome insuddenly removing a picture from view, while enabling a great number ofpictures to be assembled and manipulated in a very small space.

The picture-carrier F may be any suitable device for carrying aplurality of relatively movable picture-holders. I prefer to use thedrum or wheel construction shown, in which the carrier is essentiallycylindrical and is mounted to revolve on an axial shaft M, on which itis preferably fixed, the shaft being shown as mounted revolubly inbearing-brackets it. By this construction the movement of the carriercan be utilized when the stop K is stationary as the means fordisengaging the latter from the stop,as shown, the action being thewithdrawal of the projection L from underneath the stop K with theforward movement of the carrier. The carrier shown consists of two endwheels v, connected by the shaft M, and each having its rim 10 providedwith a number of bearings 0, corresponding to the number of holders tobe used. These bearings may be of any suitable construction to engageand movably hold the holders. As shown, the bearings are mereperforations through the rim, through which perforations the shafts n ofthe holders pass, these shafts being held in place axially by anysuitable means, as by means of the socket-piece q, fixed on the shaft atone side of one rim, and the upturned end of the shaft constituting theprojection L at the other side of the same end. Such movement of thecarrier as is desired may be transmitted to it in any suitable way. Iprefer to provide for its intermittent stepby-step movement by suitablemechanism, employing, preferably, the operating mechanism G therefor,which, as shown, consists of a ratchet-wheel 00, fixed on the shaft M,and a pawl y, engaging the ratchet and carried by a swinging lever z,fulcrumed on the shaft M and oscillated from a driving-shaft N throughthe medium of an adjustable arm a, set on the shaft N by a screw 1), orother:

wise, and connected to the lever 2 by a link 0. The number of teeth onthe ratchet x corresponds to the number-of holders E, and the pawl isadapted to feed the ratchet forward one tooth at a time, so that witheach operathe pawl may be employedas, for example, the double stop d,embracing the handle P of the driving-shaft N, so as to limit theoscillation of this handle. The driving-shaft N may be operated by anymotor; but in order to enable individual control of the length of theperiod of display for each picto re I prefer to provide for controllingmovement of the carrier manually and to operate the driving-shaft byhand, and to this end I fix on the shaft the handle P at a pointconvenient to the reach of the user. Pulling the handle toward the frontuntil it is arrested by the front part of the stop 61 moves the carrierforward sufficiently to release one holder from the stop K, andreleasing the handle permits the driving mechanism to restore itselfuntil the handle is arrested by the rear portion of the stop d, therestoration being effected in the construction shown by a spring 6,connected at one end to the link 0 and at the other end to the casingand serving to draw the lever z back sufficiently to engage a followingtooth of the ratchet. To prevent reverse turning of the carrier, Iprovide a locking-pawl f, which snaps behind a tooth of the ratchet justprevious to' the completion of the driving movement of the pawl y. Theexcessive forward movement of the carrier is prevented in theconstruction shown by the stop K, projection L, and spring on of theadjacent pictureholder, which is engaged as soon as one is released. Theinstant one projection L escapes from the stop K the followingprojection snaps against this stop under tension of its spring, so thatfeeding of the carrier is resisted by the spring of such holder and bythose of the several succeeding holders, whichare slightly displaced byreason of the position in which the picture being exhibited is heldduring engagement of the projection of its holder with the stop K, asbest seen in Fig. 4. Thus enough resistance is offered to forwardfeeding to avoid an excessive movement and to prevent a too'rapidmovement of the carrier, while this resistance is kept within suchlimits that itoffers no noticeable or serious impediment to theoperation by the user.

In addition to the means for intermittent driving of the carrier Iprovide means for its continuous movement, so that the user can rapidlythrow the carrier around until a certain portion of the pictures carriedby it is in line with the lenses. This is accomplished in theconstruction shown by extending the shaft M through the side wall I) andproviding it with a driving'handle Q, connected to rotate with theshaft, by means of which hair dle the user can at any time turn thecarrier to any desired extent-and with any speed, observing the picturesthrough the lenses in the meantime, if desired. At any stage in suchuntil the pictures to be observed are exposed, and then it can be turnedgradually to obtain the desired period for inspection of each picture,the pictures snapping past the stop K in the same manner as though thehandle P were employed, if desired. In this way one can Very quicklyarrive at any portion of the series of pictures going to make up what isknown as a trip seriesthat is, a succession of pictures relating tosucceeding portions of a certain locality or trip or route of travel.

In many collections of trip-pictures it is cus tomary to furnish thedescriptive indexes and number the pictures, and whilethe pictures canbe conveniently exposed successively by the intermittent operatingmechanism or can be seenas n-umberedin front of the lenses by the handleQ for continuous or uninterrupted operation my invention also providesfor the exact and immediate selection of any numbered picture of a groupindependently of the operation of these two mechanisms, so that the userby noting the number of the picture he wishes to see can at once selectand expose such picture. The preferred means for doing this comprises anindicator and selector, the indicator shown consisting of agraduated andnumbered disk flange R, fixed on the shaft M and having graduationscorresponding in number to the number of holders in the carrier, and anindicating ring or point S, fixed on the side wall I). and having a markreciprocal to the graduations of the disk, the mark and graduationsbeing so located relatively to the holders that when any numberedgraduation coincides with the mark the correspondingly-numbered holderor the correspondingly-numbered picture, if the pictures alone arenumbered, will rest in position for exposure in front of the lenses.Thus by the indicator the user can bring any picture to position withoutthe necessity for close observation of the preceding pictures during thenecessary movement of the carrier. To facilitate movement of the carrierin thus selecting a picture and to reduce resistance and wear, I providefor disengaging the stop K from the projections L during any movement ofthe carrier in which successive exposure of the pictures passing thestop is not desired and for reengaging these parts as soon as it isnecessary that-they should resume their normal functions. As a simpleexpedient for efiecting this I make the stop movable into and out of thepath of movement'of the projections. I also utilize the stop as aselector in conjunction with the indicating provisions just described,causing the stop to pick out the particularpicture positioned by theindicator and to throw this picture into and hold it at the properposition for observation. To do this in the construction shown, wherethe holders are all thrown inwardly by their springs as soon as the stopK is removed from the path of the projections L, I provide a doublemovement for the stop, causing it not only to move out of engagementwith the holders, but also to move to such point that when it isrestored to engagement with the holders it will pick out and expose theholder indicated by the indicator to be the one in position to be viewedand which, provided the carrier has been stationary since the stop wasdisengaged, will be the identical picture which was exposed by'the stopprior to disengagement of the latter. The means shown for doing this arepreferred for the purpose, and consist of an axially-movable oscillatingshaft 1, carrying an arm g, on the end of which the stop K is carried, aselector-handle U for manipulating this shaft, a spring h, and a holderV. The holder V has a notch 71, in which the arm 7- fits and is heldwhen the stop K is in proper position for engagement with theprojections L, as best seen in Fig. 2. The spring h presses against thehub of the handle U, and this pushes the arm 9 outwardly until it isseated in this notch i. Inwardly of the notch 'i the holder has aninwardly-projecting face j, at the lower part of which it has a deepoutwardly-extending notch 75. Press ing the handle U inwardly until thearm g is free from the notch 1" permits turning of the handle, so thatthe arm rides down the face 7" until it reaches the notch lo, into whichthe arm can pass as soon as inward pressure on the handle is released.The notch it permits the arm to snap outwardly sufficiently for the stopK it carries to pass outwardly of the path of-movement of theprojections L,whereupon the stop is disengaged from these projectionsand the carrier can be revolved freely without the pictures beingexposed and without the resistance of the springs 'm, which is exertedwhen the holders are caught by the stop. The notch 75 is located at sucha point that the stop does not leave the path of the projections untilthe holder engaged by the stop has turned down onto the next precedingholder and reached its fully-collapsed position, and the notch does notpermit rotation of the stop until the stop has been moved inwardly farenough to again pass between the two projections in front of the notchand engage itself in front of the projection of the holder carrying thepicture corresponding to number shown by the indicator to be the one inposition for exposure. Should the stop simply be disengaged and thenreengaged without movement of the carrier, the stop would reengage theholder from which it was disengaged. To reengage the stop,the handle Uis pushed inwardly until the arm g is free side of the holder V, so thatan undue extent of inward movementof the handle will be resisted.

In use the carrier will be fully or partially charged, according to thenumber of pictures in any collect-ion, the lens will be adjusted by eachuser to the focus desired, and the pictures may be viewed at will in themanner explained. It the indicator and selector are employed, thepictures or the holders will be numbered and the pictures will bearranged in their numerical order, sothat the user can immediatelyselect and expose any picture. In such case an index or descriptivepamphlet can be conveniently utilized in connection with the exhibition,or different pictures can be quickly selected from time to time, asreferred to in an article of which they may be illustrative. By turningback the windowcover any or all of the pictures can be readily removedand others substituted, so that the apparatus can be used for displayingsuccessive trips or groups of pictures, or the collection can bemodified from time to time as changes become desirable.

It will be seen that this invention provides an improved pictureexhibition apparatus which can be operated by any person and is of greatscope and adaptability and one in which the picture to be examined is inposition for inspection prior to its exposure to the gaze and is heldimmovably during such exposure, so that there is nothing to impair theillusion of reality or to cause disagreeable impression or distract thegaze or attention during use. The importance of immediately removing anexamined picture with sufficient rapidity to make its removalunnoticeable and of at the same time holding the picture to be viewedimmovable will be readily appreciated. Great compactness is attained byfolding down all of the holders except those in immediate proximity tothe position for exposure and in using a stationary septum withadjustable lenses.

It will be seen that my invention provides many features of improvementin the principles of the construction and operation of stereoscopic andpicture-exhibition apparatus and the like and that these are variouslyand advantageously applicable, and it will be understood that theinvention is not limited to the particular details of construction,operation, or combination of features set forth as constituting itspreferred form, since it can be employed in whole or in part, accord ingto such modifications as circumstances or the judgmentof those skilledin the art may dictate without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What I claim is, in picture-exhibition and analogous apparatus, thefollowing-defined novel features and combinations, substantially ashereinbeforc set forth, namely:

1. In a picture-l1older,the combination with a pivotal bar havingsocket-pieces fixed thereto for receiving the picture, of a lock forholding the picture therein pivoted to said holder.

2. In a picture-holder,the combination with a member havingsocket-pieces for receiving a picture and preventing endwisedisplacement of said picture, of a pivoted lock rconnected to saidmember for engaging the edge of the picture.

3. In a picture-hold er,the combination with socket-pieces for receivingthe picture and preventing endwise displacement,of a swinging lock forengaging the edge of a picture, having a recess 15 to avoid cutting theedgeof the picture during movement of the lock.

4. The combination with a plurality of pieture-holders, and a carriertherefor, said holders movable relatively to said carrier, of anindicator indicating the positions of the respective holders, means formoving the carrier to bring any holder to a predetermined position,means for holding the individual holders in exhibition position, andmeans for moving said holding means into inoperative position during theoperation of said indicator.

5. The combination with a plurality of pieture-holders movablerelatively to one another, and means for moving them into and out ofexhibition position, of a selector comprising a part for moving into thepath of a holder for engaging it and moving it into such position, andholding said holder in exhibition position.

6. The combination with a plurality of pieture-holders movablerelatively to one another into and out of an exhibition position, of anindicator disclosing the location of the holders respectively, aselector comprising a part for moving into the path of a holder forengaging it and moving it to the exhibition position, and holding saidholder in exhibition position.

7. The combination with a plurality of picture-holders, of a carrier forsaid holders, means for moving the carrier, a stop for holding theholders successively in an exhibition position, and means fordisengaging such stop, so that the carrier can be moved to apredetermined position without operation of the stop.

8. The combination with a plurality of independently-pivotedpicture-holders, pivots for said holders, each having a projection, of amovable carrier to which such holders are pivoted, a stationary stopengaging the projection of successive holders for arresting a holder tohold it in an exhibition position,and means for moving said carrier,whereby as the carrier moves the holders are successively disengagedfrom said stop by the passage of their projections inwardly thereof, andeach is then free to turn on its pivotal axis and move out of positionfor exposing a succeeding holder.

9. The combination with a plurality of pieture-holders movable on acarrier toward and from an exposure position, of a movable carriercarrying said holders, means'for moving said carrier, a stop past whichsaid holders are successively drawn with the movement of the carrier,means for disengaging and reengagingsaid stop with the holders, saidstop movable during rengagement from the collapsed position to theexposure position of the adjacent holder, thereby insuring engagementwith a predetermined holder when the stop is thrown to the activeposition.

10. The combination with a revolving carrier for holding a plurality ofpictures and maintaining them in an exhibition position, said picturesmovable in said carrier, of a casing, a shaft for said carrier, saidcasing and shaft carrying, the one a point and the other agraduationcoinciding with said point, said graduation corresponding to thepictures to be carried by the holder, and said pointindicating on saidgraduation the one of said pictures in the exhibition position, and astop for engaging each of said holders movable out of operative positionduring movement of the carrier, and means for so moving said stop.

11. The combination with a movable carrier having a plurality ofbearings, of a plurality of picture-holders pivoted in said bearings,pivots for said holders,springs forswinging said holders toward saidcarrier, projections on said pivots, a stop outwardly of the path of theprojections of the inwardlyswung holders and in position for engagingthe projection of an outwardly-swung holder, and means moving saidcarrier relatively to said stop, whereby as the carrier moves theprojection engaged by the stop is turned out of engagement therewith,and its holder is then turned inward while the projection of the nextholder is simultaneously engaged with the stop.

12. The combination with a plurality of pieture-holders, of a stop forengaging one of said holders, means formovingsaid stop into and out ofengagement therewith, and means for locking said stop in its activeposition.

13. The combination with a plurality of pieture-holders, of a stop forengaging one of said holders, means for moving said stop into and out ofengagement therewith, means for locking said step in its activeposition, and means for holding said stop in its inactive position. 7

14C. The combination with a pluralityof pictore-holders, of a stop forengaging said holders movable toward and from the latter, and movable atright angles to its said movement to move the holder engaged to apredetermined position.

15. The combination withaplurality of picture-holders, of a stop K forengaging such holders, a handle for moving said stop having an axial andan oscillatorymovement, an arm g connecting said stop and handle, and aframe V for holding said arm in position.

16. The combination with a stop K, of a handle U therefor having anaxial and an oscillatory movement, a frame V for holding said stop intwo positions, and a spring for resisting displacement of said stop.

17. The combination with a stop K, of an arm g, a frame V having aportion Z for holding said stop in one position, a portion for holdingsaid stop in another position, and an intermediate face j communicatingbetween said portions.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. WYATT.

Witnesses:

GEORGE II. FRASER, THOMAS F. WALLACE.

